Coffee dispenser



May 26, 1953 w. A. s'rocKDALE 2,639,837

COFFEE DISPENSER Filed April 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

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COFFEE bIsPENsER Filed April 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. WlLuAM A.SrocKDA\.E

Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE COFFEE DISPENSER William A. Stockdale, Zanesville, Ohio Application April 3, 1951, Serial No. 219,069 l (o1. 222-276) Z Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices, and more particularly to an improved coffee dispenser for use in the home to measure coffee.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved dispensingr device for granular material, such as coffee or the like, said device being simple in construction, being neat in appearance, being sturdy in construction, providing accurate measurements of the amount of coffee dispensed therefrom, avoiding waste of coiee or other granular material with which the device is employed, and being easy to operate.`

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved dispensing device for coffee and similar granular material which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is easily taken apart for cleaning, which requires no screws or bolts to hold it in assembled position, which need not be attached to a wall, which may be employed and stored in a cupboard or cabinet in a manner similar to which dishes are stored, which provides a saving of time in dispensing coffee and similar granular material, and which involves a minimum number of parts.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the folowing description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in cross-section, of an improved coffee dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention; n

Figure 2 is a bottom view, partly in cross-section, of the coffee dispenser of Figure 1;

`Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the coffee dispenser of Figures 1 to 5, the parts of the dispenser being shown in separated positions.

Referring to the drawings, the coffee dispenser is designated generally at II and comprises a main container I2 which is generally rectangular in shape and which is provided with the removable top cover I3. The lower portion of the container I2 tapers downwardly, as shown at I4, and has secured thereto the horizontal, rectangular bottom wall I5. The bottom wall I5 is formed at its side margins with the inturned, opposing iianges I6, I6 and is formed with the spaced, transverse, generally oval openings I1, I1. Designated at IB is an elongated, substantially rec- View tangular, box-like housing having the respective side marginal flanges I9, I9 received in the ilanges I6, I6, and detachably secured therein by a cotter pin 20 extending through the end portion of one of the anges I6 and the flange I9 contained therein, as shown in Figure 1, and in Figure 5. The bottom wall of the housing I8, designated at 20, is formed at its mid-portion with the transverse, generally oval, discharge opening 2I which is located midway between the metering openings I1, I1 of the bottom wall I5 of container I2.

Designated generally at 22 is a slide valve member which is slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in the box-like housing I8, said valve comprising a downwardly facing, channel-shaped member having a pair of side iianges 23, 23, and a web element 24 which is disposed closely subadjacent to the bottom wall I5 of the container I2. The web member 24 is formed with a pair of transverse, generally oval apertures 25, 25 which are longitudinally spaced apart by a distance equal to one-half the distance between the apertures I1, I1. Secured to the web element 24 around the apertures 25, 25 are the respective depending conduit members 26, 26 which are substantially equal in height to the vertical height of the interior of housing I8, whereby the bottom edges of said conduit members 26, 26 slidably engage the bottom wall of said housing. As shown in Figure 4, when one of the conduit members 26 is in registry with one of the openings I1 in the wall l5, the other conduit member 26 is in registry with the discharge opening 2l of housing I8. Such registration occurs when the end edges of the flanges 23 engage either end wall of the housing I8 in the manner shown in Figure 4, the arrangement being such that a quantity of granular material may enter the conduit member in registry with one of the apertures I1, while the other conduit member 26 is discharging through the aperture 2 I.

Extending inwardly from the end of the web member 24 is the horizontal handle element 21, said handle element being convergent in shape, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, and being provided at its end with a depending transverse liange 28, defining a nger grip portion.

In using the device, the valve member 22 is moved back and forth in the housing I8, each stroke of the valve member providing a discharge of a measured quantity of granular material from container I2, said quantity corresponding to the volume of one of the conduit members 26. The impact of the ends of the anges 23, 23 provide an agitating vibration which serves to loosen 3 the granular material and to facilitate the discharge of said material from the dispenser. It Will be readily apparent that the material may be rapidly and conveniently measured out from the device by merely moving the handle 21 back and forth the required number of times to dispense the required number `of units of volume represented by the capacity of the conduit members 26.

Whenit isnecessary to take the device apart for cleaning, the cotter pin 2^@ is removed, allowing the housing I8 to be detached from the container l2 by sliding said housing horizontally from between the flanges i6, I6, as shown: in-v Figure 6, whereupon the valve member 22 may be readily removed from the housing l8. the parts have been cleaned, theyl arefrea-ssembled to the positions thereof shown in Figures 1 to 4,

and the Cotter pin is replaced, securing the parts in their assembled position.

The various components off.' the.: device; mafy-y be manufactured from any suitable materiali. auch as, sheetmetal, plastic,l orf other. desiredi material having., the. proper` mechanicall character-i'sticsf- The: device is employed' manually and. when@ not in user is` stored. in a.- oupboard; or other storage space-similar tov theg manner in which; dishes .and the; like.A are: stored.

InL orderA` to.- refill the dispenser',. it.l is; merely necessary to removezthe: top-covert3,y whereupon the coftee,y or other granular materialr may be poured intonthe container lf2; and the-Y cover` IS replaced..

Whilef a specic: embodin'ient off zin-improved' dispenser for coiee; andi similar*- granuiar: mayterials. `has been disclosed inthe;r foregoingde:- scription, it Will` be understood: thatyarious medir cationswithin; the spiritA ofthe; inventionmay occur to those skilled in. the, art.. Therefora iit is intended that no. limitationsxbe ,placed-ioni the invention exceptv as denediby the; scope; of the appendedk claims.

What ris; claimed is t;

1.. A', dispenserr for, granular' materialV compris;- ingf a; container. having. a. horizontalabottom. wail formedr with:v a; pair` of longitudinally' spaced metering openings.; ahcrizoifxiial rectangular housingfsecuredito; saidbottom Wall; the bottom of'saidl housing comprising: .a at horizontalrplfat'e extending: parallel to. andl being. substantially equal! inslengtlrA tofsaidf-bottomi Wall.. saidV piate being; formedv l with a. discharge vopening located midway between saidi metering; openingsa down: Wardly facing! valvel memberl havingi aachannelf- After:

shaped-transverse cross-section-.slidably mounted 55 onsaid; plate:y forlongitudinal movementiim said housingf saidf.v valve;y member. comprising side flanges disposed inwardly adjacent the longitudinal side walls of the housing, and a web disposed subadjacent the bottom Wall of the container, said web being formed with a pair of apertures spaced apart by a distance equal to one-half the distance between said metering openings, respective depending conduits secured to said web around said apertures and being substantially equal inpheight to the Vertical height of the housing; said cpnduitsfmaki'ng sliding Contact at their rim portions with the bottom Wall of' the container and with said plate, said conduits deiining passages arranged so that one of said passages registers With the discharge opening when the other passage registers with a metering opening;- and'I alv longitudinally extending horizontal handle elementen the end of said web extending slidably between said bottom wall and the topedge of an end wall of said housing.

2. A dispenser for granular material comprisn ing affcontainen-having a: horizontal bottom..` wall formed: with' a pa'irfv off longitudinally spaced metering; openings,l a, horizontal rectangular housingsecured#v to: saidfbottom Wall',- the bottom ci said housingcomprisingja flathorizontal plate extend-ing;-l parallelf toil and,- being substantially equall in lengthtov said.4 bottom. wall, sai-d; plate hei-ngafolmedi with ai dischargepopening located inisla/ay;r between saidf` metering openings; and a. dov/nevarolly`r facing.. valve,-.member having.y a channel'r-shaped transuerse'cross.. sectionslidably mounteolfonvs aid-.plate fonv longitudin alf movement insaid housing, said. valve. member. having. its siizleflanges disposed, inwardly adjacent the lon,- gitudinal sidecvvalls-y off. the housing and'. being providedwith: afpair of. dependingcon-duitsl connested` t0,- its..webfand..being longitudinali-y; spaced apartby a. distance: siibstaintiallyA equal: torone, halt the.I distance betweeirsaid. metering-opone ingawhereby onel of saidoonduita registers-With the... discharge. f opening. when`v the. f other' conduit registers-with; one. of' .f the metering openings., said conduitsf. being'. subte,amitiall-Bb.l equal invertical height to the vertical heighaofethefhousngand making, slidinggcontactfat their 4rim` portions.- .with tliie battomawaalh offthercontainer; andrwith 12.9328@ WILLIAM Ac.

Reference@.Citedinethe file of this.patenti:k UNITED: srra'rEe'iPnfifENfr-sf Number Name.,I Date.. Re'. 8;05"4' Fawkesng .Ia-n.22; 18.7.8 780,680 Peterson etal. ---s ,Jan .2.41 190'5 1,06'7",994 Lundih .l1.11yr 22,;,1913 1,411,778. Germain Apr. 4;.1'922 

